T
he trees on this list are well suited for our local climate and soil conditions. They beautify our own properties and our community, support wildlife, control stormwater runoff and soil erosion, moderate climate and conserve energy use. Properly planted and cared for, they have minimal disease and pest problems. [*The height categories listed below are for “effective landscape height”, not the actual height that the trees might attain at maturity].
For detailed information about these trees, their uses and care, visit Horticopia, or Native Plant Center, or consult the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael Dirr, Easy Tree Guide by Keith Rushforth, or Encyclopedia of Trees by Hugh Johnson in the Marple Library.
denotes Native species that are especially recommended.
DECIDUOUS TREES (Drop their leaves in the fall)
Small deciduous trees (0-30 feet*)
Common Name
|
Botanical Name
|
Suggestions/comments
|
|
Buckeye, red |
Aesculus pavia |
|
|
Cherry
Okame cherry
Oriental cherry |
Prunus hybrid
Prunus serrulata |
‘Okame’ |
|
Crabapple |
Malus |
Assorted disease resistant varieties |
|
Dogwood
Flowering dogwood
Corneliancherry
Chinese dogwood |
Cornus florida
Cornus mas
Cornus kousa |
‘Appalachian Spring’
‘Golden Glory’ |
|
Dovetree |
Davidia involucrata |
|
|
Franklinia |
Franklinia alatamaha |
needs special care |
|
Hawthorn
Green hawthorn |
Crataegus viridis |
‘Winter King’ |
|
Hornbeam
American hornbeam
European hornbeam |
Carpinus caroliniana
Carpinus betulus |
‘Fastigiata’ |
|
Lilac
Japanese tree lilac |
Syringa reticulata |
|
|
Maackia
Amur maackia |
Maackia amurensis |
|
|
Magnolia
Sweetbay magnolia
Saucer magnolia |
Magnolia virginiana
Magnolia x solaniana |
|
|
Maple
Hedge maple
Paperbark maple |
Acer campestre
Acer griseum |
Special care |
|
Redbud
Eastern redbud |
Cercis canadensis |
|
|
Serviceberry
Allegheny serviceberry
Downy serviceberry
Shadblow/Serviceberry |
Amelanchier laevis
Amelanchier arborea
Amelanchier canadensis |
|
|
Silverbell
Carolina silverbell |
Halesia tetraptera |
|
|
Stewartia
Japanese stewartia |
Stewartia pseudocamellia |
|
|
Medium deciduous trees (30-60 feet*)
Common Name
|
Botanical Name
|
Suggestions/comments
|
|
Alder |
Alnus species |
|
|
Birch
Gray birch
River birch
Sweet birch |
Betula populifolia
Betula nigra
Betula lenta |
‘Whitespire’
‘Heritage’ |
|
Cherry
Sergeant cherry |
Prunus sargentii |
‘Columnaris’ |
|
Elm
Lacebark elm |
Ulmus parvifolia |
|
|
Hophornbeam
American hophornbeam |
Ostrya virginiana |
|
|
Honeylocust
Common honeylocust |
Gleditsia tricanthos(thornless; no fruits) |
‘Moraine’
‘Imperial’
‘Shademaster’
‘Skyline’ |
|
Horsechestnut
Red horsechestnut |
Aesculus x carnea |
‘Briotii’
‘Fort McNair’ |
|
Katsura tree |
Cercidiphyllum japonicum |
use male |
|
Maple
Trident maple |
Acer buergerianum |
|
|
Oak
Sawtooth oak
Shingle oak
Willow oak |
Quercus acutissima
Quercus imbricaria
Quercus phellos |
|
|
Parrotia
Persian ironwood |
Parrotia persica |
single stem |
|
Sourwood |
Oxydendrum arboreum |
|
|
Yellowwood |
Cladastris kentukea |
not near street |
|
Large deciduous trees (60+ feet*)
Common Name
|
Botanical Name
|
Suggestions/comments
|
|
Ash
Green Ash
White Ash |
Fraxinus pensylvanica
Fraxinus americana |
seedless type best
‘Autumn Purple’
‘Rose Hill’
‘Autumn Applause’ |
|
Baldcypress |
Taxodium distichum |
|
|
Beech
American beech
European beech |
Fagus grandifolia
Fagus sylvatica |
|
|
Black gum/tupelo |
Nyssa sylvatica |
Species or various cultivars |
|
Elm |
Ulmus(selected) |
‘Valley Forge’
‘Princeton’
‘Liberty’ |
|
Kentucky coffeetree |
Gymnocladus dioicus |
male |
|
Magnolia
Cucumber tree |
Magnolia acuminata |
‘Butterflies’ |
|
Larch, Golden |
Pseudolarix kaempferi |
Best for parks |
|
Linden
Silver linden
Pendant Silver linden |
Tilia tomentosum
Tilia petiolaris |
|
|
London Planetree |
Plantanus x acerifolia |
|
|
Maidenhair tree |
Ginkgo biloba |
use male |
|
Maple
Red maple
Sugar maple |
Acer rubrum
Acer saccharum |
‘October Glory’
‘Red Sunset’
‘Autumn Flame’
‘Green Mountain’
‘Legacy’
‘Bonfire’ |
|
Oak
Bur oak
Pin oak
English oak
Northern red oak
Swamp white oak
Shumard oak
White oak |
Quercus macrocarpa
Quercus palustris
Quercus robur
Quercus rubra
Quercus bicolor
Quercus shumardii
Quercus alba |
species or Green Pillar®
‘Fastigiata’
‘Attention’ |
|
Sweetgum |
Liquidambar styraciflua |
‘Rotundiloba’ (fruitless) |
|
Tuliptree/tulip poplar |
Liriodendron tulipifera |
for parks |
|
Zelkova Japanese |
Zelkova serrata |
‘Green Vase’/‘Village Green’ |
|
EVERGREEN TREES (retain their broad or needled foliage all year)
Small evergreen trees (20-35 feet*)
Common Name
|
Botanical Name
|
Suggestions/comments
|
|
Arborvitae
American arborvitae
West coast arborvitae |
Thuja occidentalis
Thuja x(hybrid) |
‘Emerald Green’
‘Nigra’
‘Techny’
‘Pyramidalis’
‘Green Giant’ |
|
Holly
American holly |
Ilex opaca |
‘Angelica’
‘Jersey Knight’
‘Wyetta’
‘Jersey Princess’
‘Old Heavy Berry’ |
|
Eastern red cedar |
Juniperus virginiana |
Emerald Sentinel™ |
|
Magnolia, southern |
Magnolia grandiflora |
‘Edith Bogue’
‘Little Gem’
‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’
‘D.D. Blanchard’ |
|
Pine
Japanese black pine
Japanese red pine
Japanese white pine
Lacebark pine
Limber pine
Swiss stone pine |
Pinus thunbergiana
Pinus densiflora
Pinus parviflora
Pinus bungeana
Pinus flexilis
Pinus cembra |
‘Umbraculifera’
‘Glauca’
‘Vanderwolf’s Pyramid’ |
|
Spruce
Serbian spruce |
Picea omorika |
|
|
Medium evergreen trees (35-60 feet*)
Common Name
|
Botanical Name
|
Suggestions/comments
|
|
Cedar
Atlas cedar
Alaska cedar
Incense cedar
Japanese cedar |
Cedrus atlantica
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis
Calocedrus decurens
Cryptomeria japonica |
‘Glauca’
‘Fastigiata’
‘Pendula’
‘Yoshino’
‘Benjamin Franklin’ |
|
Fir
Nordmann fir
White fir |
Abies nordmanniana
Abies concolor |
|
|
Large evergreen trees (60+ feet*)
Common Name
|
Botanical Name
|
Suggestions/comments
|
|
Fir
Douglas-fir |
Pseudotsuga menzieii |
|
|
Pine
Eastern white pine |
Pinus strobus |
‘Fastigiata’ |
|
Spruce
Norway spruce
Oriental spruce |
Cedrus atlantica
Picea abies
Picea orientalis |
|
|
NOT RECOMMENDED!
Common Name
|
Botanical Name
|
Suggestions/comments
|
|
Elm
American elm
Siberian elm |
Ulmus americana
Ulmus pumila |
disease prone
weak-wooded |
|
Empresstree |
Paulownia tomentosa |
weedy & invasive |
|
Maple
Sycamore maple
Tatarian maple
Norway maple
Silver Maple |
Acer pseudoplatanus
Acer tataricum
Acer platanoides
Acer saccharinum |
all of these maples are weedy, invasive and weak-wooded |
|
Poplar
Lombardy poplar |
Populus nigra ‘Italica’ |
short-lived |
|
Tree of Heaven |
Ailanthus altissima |
weedy & invasive |
|